Beauty, Mercy, Justice

Cardinal Dolan’s Moment

After the initial report that Cardinal Dolan’s offer to deliver the closing prayer at the Democratic convention was declined, it turns out that the Party has invited him to do just that. And he has accepted.

Apparently the Democrats rethought their refusal, and someone saw political expediency in inviting him; I would like to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation.

This is, I believe, unprecedented. At least I don’t remember a Catholic prelate offering prayers at both national political conventions. And Cardinal Dolan, as the cardinal archbishop of New York City, is sort of the unofficial primate of the American Church.

I wonder what he will do with this historic opportunity. He is going to pray, of course, not offer a speech, but one can be prophetic in prayer.

Prayers for respect for human life from conception until natural death, for example. Or prayers that the concerns of the poor have priority in forming policy. Prayers that America may turn from its nationalistic messianism, prayers that we turn from our warlike ways.